This specification relates to data communications.
Service providers utilize distributed networks to provide services to customers over large geographic areas. For example, communications companies utilize a distributed communications network to provide communications services to customers. Similarly, power companies utilize a network of power lines and meters to provide power to customers throughout a geographic region and receive data back about the power usage.
These service providers are dependent on proper operation of their respective networks to deliver services to the customers and receive data back regarding the services provided. For example, the service provider may want access to daily usage reports to efficiently bill their customers for the resources that are consumed or otherwise utilized by the customers. Therefore, it is important for data specifying resource utilization and other information to be reliably transmitted and/or received at specified intervals.
In power line communication (PLC) networks, endpoints in the network (e.g., meters, load control switches, remote service switches, and other endpoints) can provide updated information (e.g., power consumption information and/or endpoint operating status information) by transmitting data over power lines. The amount of data required to be transmitted by each endpoint can differ based on the information that is required to be provided by the endpoint. For example, a first endpoint may be required to transmit updated information every 5 minutes, while another endpoint may be required to transmit updated information only once a day. Additionally, the channels over which the endpoints communicate can have various different channel characteristics (e.g., center frequency, bandwidth, and/or noise signal amplitude).
Due to the various amounts of data that may be transmitted by different endpoints, as well as the differences in channel characteristics, it can be difficult to select a single symbol period (i.e., a period over which a symbol is transmitted) that facilitates efficient transmission of data for each endpoint. Further, the channel characteristics can vary significantly over time such that symbol periods that are selected for the endpoints at one point in time may not provide adequate performance at another point in time.